Once Again
by C.S Eve
Summary: Mai wants to talk to Gene for the last time. She wanted closure. Naru already accepted the fact that he already lost Mai to Gene. Gene, on the other hand, couldn't move on because of his brother's anger and at the same time sadness. How will Naru, Mai, and Gene solve the most complicated case in their lives? Will Mai choose to live for Naru or is she destined to die for Gene?
1. A Dream within a Dream

**_Once Again by CS EVE_**

A month after Naru returned. Mai has yet again confessed to Naru. But no matter what Mai says to Naru. Naru has always believed that Mai will never be his. He already knew he lost her. Gene is the one she loves. Whenever Mai and Naru would be alone, Mai would try to talk to Naru, convincing him that she's the one he loves. Naru already understood the situation ever since they were in the forest—on the day that Gene's body was found.

Mai on the other hand finally stopped and tried to talk to Gene but she can never move on. She wanted to see him once again. Mai became desperate that she even asked Masako to help. Masako helped but it seems like Gene didn't want to talk to Mai. Mai already knew that Gene hasn't walked to the light. She knew that Gene still has that _unfinished business_ in the living world.

It was already been a year since Gene was found. Mai decided to find Gene no matter what.

* * *

 ** _Mai's POV_**

His voice—I miss his voice. I want to see him again. _Concentrate Mai… You'll see him just concentrate._ I closed my eyes as I tried to contact the spirit from the other side. I suddenly sighed and opened my eyes again. "Gene… I miss you please, let me see you." I whispered. I didn't receive a respond. For the 9th time of trying to contact him. I was not able to see him. I looked at my surroundings and hugged my knees. "Gene I know you haven't moved on. Please talk to me" I said as I started to tear up. I sobbed. _Why Gene?_ "Gene if you won't talk to me, I'll find you permanently in the spirit world!" I suddenly stood up and looked for a knife in my kitchen. I found myself a small knife in the counter. I looked at my wrist. My hands were shaking, my tears were falling from my eyes.

"Don't do it" I heard a whisper through the wind. I dropped the knife on the floor, I panted and then shed tears. _Thank goodness. "Gene, why are you avoiding me? Please talk to me"_ I looked around and saw darkness. _Where? Where am I?_ I walked in the darkness. I could feel something wrong. "Mai, Stop looking for me please" I heard his voice again. "Gene, it's hard." I paused and looked down. "He's pushing me away" I covered my face as I continue to cry. "Naru keeps on pushing me away… Gene" I couldn't stop from crying. His voice was soft and gentle. Suddenly all I could hear a faint voice, it was getting louder and louder.

"Mai!"

I slowly opened my swollen eyes and saw the light. "Where? Where am I?" I muttered to myself as I could slowly see clearly. "Ayako" I rubbed my eyes as I sat up and looked at my surroundings. _Right, we're still on a case._ I paused and calmed down.

"Why were you crying in your dream? Is it related to the case?"

"No, it's not. I just had a really good dream—I guess" I said as I sighed then looked at the time.

"I'm sorry did I wake you up?" I looked at Masako who was sitting on her bed nearby. It was 3' o'clock am.

"You were crying. We thought that you were awake-"Masako paused and looked at my bed.

"Masako?" I felt a sharp pain in my wrist. "Ouch," I said as I looked at the blood-stained white cloth.

"Mai! What have you gotten yourself into" Ayako pulled up the sheet and saw my wrists bleeding?

"I don't remember any of this" I looked so confused. In my dream, I dropped the knife. Why is it that I am bleeding?

"Masako, call an ambulance" Ayako said quickly as she wrapped my wrists with a clean cloth.

"Mai, you're losing a lot of blood" Ayako looked at me with worry. "Ayako, I don't understand. Why this is happening to me. In my dream… In my dream" I then got dizzy then everything went black.

"MAI!"

* * *

 ** _Masako's POV_**

I rushed to base only to find out that there was no one inside. I took the phone near the counter and called the ambulance. Then suddenly I heard Ayako screaming Mai's Name. I quickly dialled the numbers and told the lady on the other side about what happened. After doing so, I rushed back to the room.

"Mai, Hang on!" I rushed inside. Takigawa-san, Brown-kun rushed behind me as well. Upon arriving we saw Ayako crying as she checked Mai's heartbeat. I covered my mouth as I started to shed tears. I couldn't stand looking at Mai in a bloody condition. I saw her neck bleeding slowly unlike her wrists earlier.

"Where is Naru?" I asked Takigawa-san. He looked stunned as if he was a mannequin. "Bou-san!" I said aloud looking at him. "He went out with Lin for information."

I clenched my hand into a fist. I looked away from Mai. She was getting paler.

Suddenly we heard the siren of the ambulance. _Thank god_.

* * *

 ** _Mai's POV_**

 _Gene are you trying to make me see you permanently?_ I slowly opened my eyes but he wasn't around again. I looked at Ayako and Masako worrying outside the emergency room. My body slowly floated to the roof top. I closed my eyes and saw souls going up to the bright light. _Maybe it's my time_. I then open my eyes. And to my surprise, I saw Naru looking at the sunrise.

"You're reckless as always Mai. This must be what you wanted. _To finally be with him"_ Naru looked whispered to himself as he held the key to my old house. "You're dreams are more powerful than I expected." He muttered again. He then turned around and I caught his eyes to mine as if he really looked at me. _Naru._

"I won't give up"

Suddenly there was a great light again.


	2. Almost Trouble

**_Someone finally reviewed! Because of that,I'm updating and posting chapter 2._**

 ** _Mai's POV_**

I could hear beeping and I could hear people talking. It was fuzzy but slowly I could hear and see them.

"Mai-chan" John smiled as he slowly walked to me. "You're safe. Don't worry. Lin and Yasuhara finally solved the case" _I don't understand. Lin must have found a way to finally destroy the curse inside that house. Good for the clients then._

I nodded at John and sighed. I could feel pain on my wrist and my neck.

Ayako then walked to me and assisted me to sit up. "Mai, slow down. Your wounds may open up"

She warned me.

"Can someone fill me up of what happened to me?" I asked looking at Ayako and John.

John nodded and sat on the chair.

"Masako touched you while you were dreaming. It seems like in your dream you collapsed in the kitchen of your apartment and the vengeful ghost must have entered your dream. Masako mentioned that you dreamt within a dream" John paused for a while as he heard a knock on the door.

"You're awake"

"Alive and kicking Naru!" I smiled at him hiding him the truth about that dream.

"You're really a magnet for trouble. Makes me want to fire you" Naru looked at me with a smirk.

"Well, your cases won't, end faster without me," I said as I stuck out my tongue like a child.

"Hmm, I request everyone to please leave the room, I want to talk ,to Mai personally please," Masako said as she entered the room in a very serious tone.

Naru looked at me first then sighed. Ayako, John, and Naru left the room. Masako locked the door and slowly walked to me.

"In your dream, I know that you're desperate that you want to see him already, but please stop being so reckless!" Mai started to scold me for the first time. "Mai, you didn't just call Gene. You called a very dangerous spirit"

Masako paused for a while. "The marks in your body was like a contract Mai. Your soul was almost sold to the devil" She said looking down.

I started to become stiff. I looked down and started to feel dizzy again.

"Mai, you must promise me, that you should take care of yourself."

"Masako, I didn't know what I was doing. In my dreams, I wasn't able to control myself" I turned to her then looked at my wrist. "I was not myself, Masako" I looked down and tried to stop crying.

"Mai, just promise me that, I had to ask John for an exorcism, luckily the spirit left..." Masako slowly walked to the door.

"Masako, please don't tell them about this" I looked down as I tried to think carefully about what happened in the dream. I slowly tried to remember and then suddenly I saw a horrifying image of a spirit. I shook my head and tried to snap out of it. Naru entered the room. He walked to the chair nearby the bed. "Mai, Hara-san told me that you're already safe and free from the ghost in our case" I looked at Naru with a smile and nodded.

"Naru, we're you worried?" I asked him bluntly. "I was" I felt happiness from my heart and blushed as I looked away from him. But then, it disappeared after he continued his sentence.

"… My older brother would kill me if you'd die… It will be noisier if so" My heart shattered.

"You still believe about that huh?" I gave out a sigh then looked at him.

"You're here with me, always have been with me, I don't understand why you won't accept the fact that I am in love with you, Naru!" I looked at him in his eyes. He stared back coldly.

"I believe that you need to rest, Mai. You still have to work for me. I paid the bills, stop being so irresponsible." Naru said as he stood up.

"Naru wait!" I tried reaching for his hand as he turned around. "You said you won't give up, right?" Naru stopped for a while as I was able to touch his hand. "I don't know what you're talking about" he pulled back his hand. I slowly placed my hand on my lap and then looked at the key on the table near my bed. Naru then closed the door and the room started to become crowded as Bou-san, Lin-san and Yasuhara entered the room.

"Jou-chan! How are you?"

"I'm fine now" I smiled at them.

Lin looked at me with a stare as if he was scared of me. He gulped and took two steps back. "Lin-san?"

Lin shook his head. John then tapped his shoulder and whispered to him.

Bou-san was too busy entertaining me of how he was worried and how he thought that I would die right in front of him.

"Taniyama-san, good that you're back" Lin looked at me with a small smile.

"Thank you for saving our clients in the resort lin. You must have found a way to break off the curse inside the resort" I said to him

"I was able to use hitogatas again, thanks to your dreams and the information that Yasuhara-san had"

Yasu scratched his head and smile. "I had to become useful once in a while" he chuckled.

"Bou-san, May I ask when I'll be discharged?"

"Naru-bou told us that the doctor told him that you can be discharged tomorrow"

"Good!" I yawned then slowly laid down on the bed. "I'm excited on what other cases we can solve"

Bou-san sat at the chair then smiled. "Always such a happy kid Mai" he chuckled. "I have to, no one in the gang is as a positive thinker like Mai Taniyama!" I said as I pulled up the sheets over my chest.

"Good Night, Mai"

 ** _Masako's POV_**

"Hara-san, I'm curious about Mai's condition now" Lin said over the phone. I pressed the speaker so that Brown-kun and I can hear him.

"She's already cleared of the spirit Lin-san."

"I can still sense something wrong with, Taniyama-san"

"That is what you call Love, Lin-san. She must still be thinking of what Shibuya-san said to her a year ago." John spoke looking at the phone. I then heard the door close at the other side of the door.

 ** _Lin's POV_**

"Will you please stop with that topic?"

I then hanged up then turned around. Naru was leaning against the wall crossing his arms. He looked pissed off for some reason. I walked to my desk and placed the phone on top of it.

"I couldn't contact Gene, Lin. Maybe he moved on?" Naru suddenly said as he looked down. "Naru, If he did, I think you should be happy" I turned my chair to him then smiled. "Gene can handle himself."

Naru raised his eyebrow and dropped his hands. "Mai will be discharged today, drive her home" Naru said as he turned around and opened the door. "Hara-san and Brown-kun will be taking her home Naru"

I said as I opened the folder and stamped _case closed_ on the folder. "Hara-san? That's new" He said as he closed the door. The moment he went out I sighed.

 ** _Masako's POV_**

I followed John and Mai in her apartment. I didn't like the aura I was feeling around the apartment. I slowly walked inside and Mai gave us a tour in her little house. I sat on the couch in her living room and waited for John to change his clothes. I looked at the picture hanging on the wall. It was a photo of us when Naru was about to leave for England.

"Masako, I'll lead you to my bedroom" Mai said as I followed her. Suddenly, I found memories in my head as I entered the bedroom. "Mai this is where you used to..." I looked at Mai as she was looking down. "I tried contacting Gene here plenty of times already. My dreams weren't enough Masako. I had to do it. " Mai then sat on her bed and laid down.

"Mai-san here you go" John said as he entered the bedroom and placed her bags on the floor.

"Thank you john" Mai smiled to him.

"You're safe now Mai. Please try to avoid contacting Gene already." I said to her. She looked down and frowned. "You will get in trouble if you do so"

"If you truly love him, set him free. You are alive and he is dead." I looked at her with worry and with a serious tone.

Mai didn't respond for a few minutes.

"Let's go, Hara-san, Mai needs sometime on her own. We'll take our leave now Mai" John said as he touched my shoulder. I silently retreated. _What frank words to say. I should properly apologize next time._

 _Well. I thought that I could apologize to her again. But when I arrived at the office the next day, Takigawa-san and Ayako was holding a search party for Mai._


	3. The Killer

**_FLASHBACK._**

 ** _Naru's POV_**

I entered the office in my usual schedule and then realized that the door was unlocked. When I entered the room. I could smell the scent of jasmine tea in the kitchenette.

"Just in time. I just finished the tea" The young brunette was unlikely early.

"It's a Sunday, why are you here?" I asked as I walked to my office.

"Oh, hmm. I just needed sometime away"

I stopped in front of office's door. "What do you mean?"

"Well, you said that I love Gene than you, right?" Mai looked down. "I want to contact him. Even if it's just a small time."

"What you're doing right now proves that I am right" I held the door knob and pushed the door.

"Just put the tea in my office"

I closed the door and walked towards my desk. I sat down, leaned against it and took a breath. As I was about to check up the files that Madoka sent this morning, Mai knocked and entered the room with my tea. She placed it down and looked at me. She was staring at me.

"What? I don't pay you to just stare at me Mai. I know that I am that handsome but that's not your job"

I said as I looked up at her. "Naru, Im serious. I just want to take a few days off" She said.

I couldn't control myself with anger.

 ** _Normal POV._**

Naru started to sip from the cup of tea and ignored what Mai said. Mai waited for his reply. "Naru, I know that Gene still hasn't moved on. If you really cared about your brother you should allow me to take a few days off" Naru placed down the tea cup.

"We have a case next week, I don't want you to go hunting down my brother while we're busy with clients, Mai" Naru looked at Mai coldly and then he gave a glare.

"It will only take me 2 days please Naru" Mai gripped on the tray she was holding. Naru stood up and walked to the door. Before leaving his office he said "If you're that desperate, why don't you just go ahead- die and be together with my brother". Naru said coldly. The moment that Naru was about to open the door Mai dropped the metal tray, ran behind him and wrapped her arms around him.

"You don't mean that, right?" Mai said as she covered her face on his back.

"You didn't mean that… Naru" Mai started to cry silently. Of course, the narcissist didn't mean what she said but he already admitted defeat.

Naru froze and looked down. _"I wouldn't care right now Mai. I already accepted the facts. You can never deserve a man with my kind of personality and attitude"_

 ** _PRESENT DAY_**

"Any luck with the police today?" Bou-san asked Yasuhara who just recently arrived at the office. It was already a month since Mai disappeared. Ayako, as the sole heiress of the Matsuzaki Hospitals, used her influenced over other hospitals. She told them to report to her about the missing brunette. Bou-san even took advantage of his concerts and would announce to the audience that he's looking for his friend. And lastly, Masako who still can't forgive herself asked the media for help. Mai's photo would usually be shown in the TV.

Naru held the key that Mai used to own. He tried to locate her, trying to find where she really is. But his luck was out. The last image he saw were footsteps on the ground. He looked at the key again. This was his 10th time for the day. He dropped the key and leaned against his chair. He used his arm to cover his forehead. "Don't tell me you actually tried looking for him in the dead"

Lin knocked at the door and placed his tea on his desk. Naru tasted it and placed down the tea cup.

"It tastes Horrible" he said frankly.

"It's your fault, you threatened your personal tea maker" Lin said looking at him and shifted his sight to the key.

"Didn't I tell you that you should stop using psychometry in finding her?" Lin scolded him.

"You said it yourself that It's my fault" Naru raised his eyebrow.

Lin gave out a sigh and shook his head. "We were able to complete the case even when she wasn't around" Naru closed the folder that was stamped case closed.

"By means of we, we didn't even did this as a team. Only Brown and Yasuhara showed up for this case and it took us a week Naru" Lin said with disappointment.

"That day when she disappeared I know that she was here. You had an argument about something"

"Are you suggesting that I may have killed her?" Naru stood up.

"You already killed her many times Naru. This is by far the worst" the tall Chinese man walked to the door and decided to dial the police for the 8th time for any update.

Naru went out of his office, Bou-san turned to him as he was about to take his trench coat. "Naru-bou, where are you going?" Bou-san asked.

"I'm going to a see a client today" he said bluntly.

Bou-san couldn't take back to Naru. He knew that Naru would be looking for Mai that's why he didn't react on what he said. He leaned on the couch.

"Bou-san, don't you think that Mai left because of Naru?" Yasuhara said the moment Naru left the building. "She's missing, She's didn't leave" Bou-san reminded him.

"If she's missing, why is her apartment door locked?" Yasuhara started to think and piece the puzzle together. "The old lady across the street told the police she saw Mai and asked where she was going and Mai responded to work." Bou-san also tried to think of the possibilities.

"Naru said that he didn't go to the office the morning that Mai disappeared…" Yasuhara placed his finger on his nose and chin.

Naru walked his way to Mai's apartment. He used his PK to open the door. He held his head as he felt dizzy and started to look around. He held the key tightly and tried to look around.

The moment that he stepped on Mai's room he saw images in his head about a summoning a spirit. He saw a certain paper texts: Gene's name and date of the day he went missing.

 _Mai._ Naru whispered and walked. He found himself in the kitchen. He saw images again.

Mai lying down on the floor with cuts on her wrists and neck. He pushed himself back to stop the images from repeating in his head. Suddenly he froze. He looked at his surroundings and saw a man wearing black inside the house. He was kneeling down and beside him was a knife with blood. He was mumbling to himself. "Are you happy now? You're finally able to see him. Mai"

 ** _FLASHBACK._**

"I'm sorry Mai, but I can't reciprocate your feelings. I _respect_ him and I already knew your feelings were never for me. It was for him" Naru took her hands away from him and left Mai inside his office.

It was night time, Mai walked home and started to think over again and again how to contact Gene. Mai gave out a sigh and nodded. "Maybe I should give up and try to prove Naru that he's wrong!" Mai said positively. She opened the door of her apartment and went inside. She closed it and dropped her things on her couch. Mai entered her room and looked around. It looked normal but then again there was something particular about it.

Mai shrugged it off and took a towel and changed her clothes. She washed her face and wiped off the water on her face. She placed the towel at the side. She then heard a knock on the door. As she peeked on the hole. She was surprise.

"Naru?"

 ** _PRESENT DAY_**

Naru fell on his knees and saw himself talking to Mai who was lying on the floor covered with blood.

 _"Did I kill her?"_ Soon he saw nothing but darkness.


	4. Gene

Lin barged in the small apartment looking for his young boss. He eventually found him lying down on the floor unconscious. He bent over to feel his pulse and then pulled back holding the black phone and dialling the medium's number. "I found him" He properly carried Naru after the phone call and placed him over the sofa. Lin wondered himself inside the small apartment, he wasn't pleased with the height of it since He had to bend a little every time he would encounter an entrance. The Chinese omyouji reached Mai's room. He started to look over her shelves and her desk. He found himself staring at a photo of young Noll and young Gene. Beside the picture was a handkerchief. Lin raised his eyebrow and smiled lightly. "Taniyama-san really loved Naru" he mumbled to himself.

Shortly, Lin noticed a car parked outside the apartment. He went and leaned forward to the window and saw the priest, walking his way to the entrance of the apartment with the Japanese medium. Lin went to the entrance and opened the door. "Lin-san, How is Shibuya-san" John asked the moment Lin let themselves in. The medium closed the door and walked to the lying man on the couch. "How did you know he was here?" Masako asked covering her lip with her sleeve. "I just had a hunch" Lin admitted. "He's okay, he's just unconscious" John looked over at Naru as well. "Did you try waking him up?"

"I did, but he doesn't want to wake up"

"What do you mean he doesn't want to wake up?" Masako glanced to Lin.

"He was dreaming about _her"_ Lin mentioned to them that Naru was talking in his sleep about Mai.

"The apartment, I really felt something strange about it" Masako stood up and looked at the ceiling. "It's as if there is a dead spirit resting here" She mumbled to herself. "Is it?" John was about to ask but Masako cut him off. "No, it's not Mai." Masako said as she turned back to Lin and John again. "Lin, I know that we're out of boundaries here when it comes to cases but I'd like for you guys to open this up too Ayako and Bou-san" Masako said with sincerity.

"This is not a case" Naru slowly opened his eyes and sat up. "This is a completely different situation, It's a missing person's case" He placed his two feet on the ground and he leaned forward crossing his fingers. "I may have killed Mai the night she went missing" The young CEO looked at them with a passive look.

"Naru, you're not serious about this" Lin walked in front of him.

"I am Lin, I used my psychometry to try and find out what really happened." Naru looked up at his Chinese assistant and then pulled out his phone from his pocket.

"What are you doing?" Lin looked at Naru dialling numbers on his phone. "I need to talk to bou-san" He said as he stood up and placed his phone on his ear. "Come at Mai's apartment ASAP" Naru left a voicemail to Bou-san and then hung up. Naru threw his phone on the couch while John and Masako looked at him. It was the first time the two looked at Naru so tense.

"Don't you think that what you saw was just an illusion or really just a dream" Masako asked. Naru started to calm down since the object around him was starting to move. He sat down and said "It felt real, Hara-san" Naru glared. "I myself don't remember what happened to her that night. I felt that I went inside the apartment the night she went missing"

"According to Hara-san she could feel a presence of a dead spirit here but not Taniyama-san's" Lin looked down at Naru and heard a car stopping outside. "It must be Bou-san" John Brown walked to the door and opened it. He saw the monk and the priestess arguing about a small matter, the car.

"—why don't you just let me buy you a new one?!" Ayako said at the monk looking a bit ticked off.

"That car has many memories!" Bou-san rebutted. "So?!"

"Umm, welcome?" John said as he let the two inside the small apartment. The CEO started to talk about what he felt and saw in his dream.

Masako started her prayer inside Mai's room. She felt the presence of the spirit getting nearer and nearer to her. The room was silent, the windows were closed and there was only one light present, the lighten candle infront of the medium. Naru and Lin stood at the side and watched her with her chants. The candle started to lose its light and suddenly there was silence. Masako was looking down on her knees sitting down on her legs.

"Hara-san?" John asked but tried to stay in his place. "The woman who summoned me here, where is she?" Masako Hara said as she lifted her face a bit.

"Are you talking about Mai?" Bou-san rashly questioned. Masako's body nodded. "We haven't found her" Ayako told her.

"Pity, the man wearing black over there must know something. I saw him once." Masako's head turned to Naru who was leaning against the wall. "The one who summoned me is in trouble. I was not the only one she summoned."

"How many times did she try on contacting a spirit?" Lin asked. Masako lifted her 3 fingers. "I was the first one. The second one…" Masako's voice started to faint. "How did she try to summon you?" Bou-san started to ask. Masako started to write on the floor and fainted on her front. Lin turned the lights on. John walked to Masako who was still unconscious and said to bou-san. "Place her on Mai's bed" The monk listed the medium. The moment she was lifted a certain object fell off her sleeve. The object was wood and shaped like a rounded triangle, at the centre upper part of it there was a circular hole.

Lin looked over at the wooden object and bend down. His eyes were surprised to see a planchette for the first time. He touched took the object from the ground. Ayako tilted her head, wondering what she just saw. "Lin, what is that?" Ayako pointed at Lin's hand. "It's called a planchette, this was used way before the Ouija board was even created. It seems like the spirit answered the question after all" Lin opened his hand.

"May I?" Naru tried to reach out from it. Lin immediately placed the wooden planchette in his pocket. "You will not use your psychometry, Naru"

"What is a planchette?" John looked confused. "It's a way of communicating to spirits, it's like kokkuri-san, Ouija board and the likes. In using planchette you need a pencil placed in the centre whole. The position of the summoner's hand is simple, as if he or she is writing." Lin lifted the planchette and demonstrated it for their sakes. "However, what's odd about using in planchette is that you need two or more people to use it, otherwise it wouldn't work" Noll said as he swiftly snatched the planchette from Lin's hand. Lin stared at NAru angrily. Naru sighed and gave up. "I won't use my Psychometry, I promise. I'm just intrigued who might gave this to Mai".

"Maybe Gene taught her"

Naru clenched his fist with the planchette. "You idiot" Ayako placed her hand on Bou-san's mouth.

"Only Gene might have known about that thing. He's the only spirit that Mai knew of" Bou-san pushed away the red headed miko and placed his arms on his waist. Masako Hara was starting to wake up. She held her head and tried to sit up. Ayako turned to the medium and asked. "How are you?" Masako's eyes started to tear up a bit and said. "I saw Mai. She's really in danger" Ayako sat down beside Masako and touched her shoulder she had her leaned against her neck. "How?" Bou-san walked forward. "Naru didn't kill Mai." She held her sleeves and looked down and mentioned what she saw.

Ayako didn't like what she heard as well. Masako's vision was a bit blurry but she knew that Naru couldn't possibly kill his assistant. "You know what, this calls for a case. The spirit mentioned about Mai successfully summoning 3 spirits right? What if those three spirits were actually just spirits dressed up as Naru?" Bou-san said. "We have to time for your jokes" Ayako slapped his head.

"I'm serious. What if the images of what Masako saw was actually an illusion or just a dream that the spirit wants for us to see. I've read about this matter before when I was still a monk" Bou-san started to touch his chin thinking. "Bon... Bin... Rok... Baku!" the monk said looking at the two ladies. "It's just an ancient story about this spiritual being can actually devour dreams and turn them to nightmares."

"So what you're saying is that Mai was dreaming of talking to Gene in the kitchen and this Baku spirit devours the dream and turns it to a nightmare" John asked and the monk nodded. "How can you mix an eastern culture to a western one? First and foremost the planchette was used to contact Gene and now this?" Ayako gave out a sigh and started to look confused. "We need to know more about this planchette." The miko started to look for Naru and Lin.

Ayako couldn't believe what Masako said to them earlier.

"What Naru saw wasn't actually him. It was Gene." Masako glanced at Naru. The young man couldn't believe what he heard. He walked to the door and left his team there. He went his way to the living room. Lin followed his boss and didn't say a word.

 ** _Planchette- it's an older version of the Quija Board. I've pretty much tried it before. The method or the way how the spirit communicates with a living person is more freely done compared to the Quija Board. So, under the planchette you'll need a paper (or if you want that creepy souvenir from your planchette mate you can just use your floor) next place a pencil, finger w/ ink in the center hole. Before you try and proceed, you should meditate first so that you will be able to focus._**

 ** _In my other storied I've also introduces Ikiryo. Ikiryo is actually just astral projection but with a reason why a spirit is leaving the body. In Ikiryo it takes a lot of your spirit to be able to complete. It's not recommended since if you've successfully mastered ikiryo it will create a physical damage in the mind._**


	5. Found

"Gene wanted Mai dead." Naru talked to the tall Chinese omyouji. Lin who was standing next to him sat down and looked at the planchette that Naru was staring at. "Naru, How can Taniyama-san even contact a ghost when she was the only one performing it?" Lin started to get curious about the situation. "There must be another person who helped her. If we get to that person we'll be able to find her" Lin stood up and as for the SPR's CEO he stayed on his seat and started to think back.

Gene hasn't been able to pass through the other side because he knew that his younger brother and Mai needs him. However, it would have seem to be unfair to him that Mai was actually starting to see Naru as Naru. The dead twin already knew that Naru would be winning ahead because they are alive. Because Mai and Naru can live their lives until they die. He knew that he can never have Mai by her side not unless she is actually dead.

Masako stood up as she held her head and tried to stand. She looked around and realized that the contact was successful. However, it made the team quite upset about Mai' disappearance and Gene's motive. She leaned forward and realized that there was something in Mai's room that was new. She bent down and touched the carpet. "Something is under here." Masako said as she glanced at the monk. Bou-san looked at it and snapped his fingers. "I've been in Mai's room before that's why it's looked different." He said as he moved aside some of the furniture to lift up the carpet.

To their surprise, they saw markings on the floor.

"I will take you with me forever"

"You can finally be with me"

"Your soul belongs to me now"

The monk looked down at the wooden floor and touched the carved marks on it. "It's not fresh Mai must have used a pencil or pen" John bent down and touched it as well. "No, the width is too big" Bou-san placed his finger on his chin. "What about her nail?" Masako flinched she thought about digging her nails on the wooden floor.

"What about a knife?"

The Chinese omyouji went inside carrying a knife covered with a blood-stained handkerchief. The team turned to him as she walked closer and closer. He uncovered the knife, they looked at it and pulled back seeing the knife with blood on it.

"Gene couldn't hold objects that are real" Masako mumbled to herself. "That means Mai must have had an accomplice with this matter" Bou-san looked at Lin. "What if Mai really killed herself?" Masako muttered silently.

"Masako, you can't say that" Ayako widened her eyes the moment she heard her words. Masako frowned and looked down. "What is that blood was Mai's and she killed herself. And she hid that knife as a spirit" Ayako gasped into Masako's idea.

"No, you know what stop. Why don't we try to ask the landlady who has been visiting Mai recently" Ayako suggested and looked at them. The team agreed.

* * *

 _The next day…_

"What do you mean the surveillance footage has been watched already?!" Ayako looked at the landlady who was sweeping her front lawn. "A man all black went earlier, he wished to watch the surveillance footage near Mai's apartment entrance" Ayako glanced at Monk who started to have a feeling who was ahead of the investigation.

* * *

 _Shibuya Psychic Research_

Kazuya Shibuya re-watched the footage and looked over at his monitor. He was no detective and he doesn't want the police involve with the situation. Naru stopped the footage and printed the image. He pulled out a key from the coat's pocket and unlocks a drawer that contained Mai's personal things, her phone, her notebook, her keys and even her compact powder. He pulled out the phone and looked through her contacts and her image gallery. He suddenly heard the door opened from the main office and placed the phone back in the drawer and locks it. He heard a knock on his door.

"Come In"

Ayako heard the signal and went it together with Takigawa. She looked at the young CEO glancing on his monitor. "You took copies of the files" Ayako crossed her arms as she looked at him with a cold look.

"I had time earlier" Naru said as he looked over at the printed image. "Anything you need to share about it?" Takigawa moved over by his side and stared at the printed image. "Wait, I've seen this guy before" Bou-san pointed at the picture bending down and then he stood and leaned back. "I've seen this guy, he usually picks up Mai from here"

Naru's eyebrow raised and he placed his bent index finger near his lip. "He's been here?" he asked. Ayako watched Naru's reaction and gave a small smirk. "Don't be jealous Naru, He seemed friendly" She teased and walked to the seat in front of his desk. "I'm not jealous." He said in a rather high tone.

"Izumi.. No" Bou-san started to think of the name of the young man who used to take Mai out for dinner after work. "Iwa… No" He shook his head again and finally he snapped his fingers upon remembering.

"Izaya Matsumoto"

"Wait, Matsumoto as in Izaya Matsumoto the son's client in our previous case?" Ayako blinked her eyes and walked beside the desk and stood near Takigawa.

"Now that you mention it, the video isn't that clear. He does seem to have a resemblance" Naru looked at the picture. "Time to take a visit to that old mansion again then." Takigawa said as he walked towards the door.

"I'll let Lin know where we'll be going" Naru stood up from his seat and followed Ayako to the door.

* * *

Lin, Ayako, Bou-san and Naru once again arrived the old mansion outside Tokyo. The mansion was huge for 3 people living inside. It had an outdoor maze, Jacuzzi and swimming pool, there was about 10 rooms and 5 living rooms, there were also 2 kitchen, 2 music room and a huge library.

"I'm sorry to drop by all of the sudden" Bou-san said as they were being brought to the second-floor living room. "It's very much okay, your team was able to help our home from spirits again." The previous client Takayoshi Matsumoto said as he opened the big door.

Ayako and Bou-san sat together on a love seat while Naru and Lin sat separately. "Izaya will be down soon. I hope He's not in trouble" Takayoshi smiled as he left the team inside the large room. "Well, seems like the mansion is really safe" Lin mumbled to Naru. Naru gave a nod and started to feel impatient. He looked over at the glass-stained window and remembered about that glass window was shattered when the ghosts became aggressive.

"Shibuya-san" The young handsome Izaya Matsumoto on his uniform walked over to the raven haired CEO. "Matsumoto-san" Kazuya Shibuya stood up and looked at him. 'Please seat" He said insisting. The maids of the mansion delivered them tea. They gently placed it on the coffee table with complimentary sweets. "How can I help you?" Izaya asked.

Kazuya Shibuya pulled out the small planchatte from his coat pocket and showed it to the student. izaya pulled back slightly and to his surprise, NAru was giving him the cold glare. Izaya sighed and sat down near the CEO.

"It's about Mai. Isn't it?" He asked looking at them. The four people were looking down and feeling down as well. Izaya looked around as the maids left. He then stood up and walked over to the bookshelf. "I am willing to cooperate but please do not scold me for what I have been doing" Izaya looked down and pulled the book slightly. Suddenly, the whole book shelve moved and showed a secret passageway. Ayako, Lin, and Bou-san looked at it and stood up. Naru, on the other hand, followed Izaya inside.

"Matsumoto-san, you've been contacting your dead girlfriend?" Lin looked over at the small room. It had markings on the walls and candles on the side. The room was empty. Izaya nodded looking at Lin.

"Mai wanted to contact a friend that hasn't passed on. As for me, I wanted to talk to Azusa."

"How long have you been trying?" Naru asked the young man. "I was able to talk to her about 2 times already. It was successful. Mai helped me get through the planchette and use her dreams as a path for Azusa to go here"

"I asked how long" Naru glared again. "About two weeks after your case here was finished"

"Where?" Lin asked and Izaya pointed his room. "And Mai's apartment." He looked down.

"There was one time where Mai and I weren't able to get the answer of our contact. We asked our final question on how we will ever contact Mai's friend" Izaya said silently. "The planchette moved and wrote: Kill her" He raised his head Bou-san walked up to him and asked. "Did you?" Izaya shook his head.

"After that, Mai has been acting strange lately. She has been trying to use planchette by herself."

"There are 3 spirits that Mai had contact with." Ayako leaned against the wall and asked. "Can you tell me what those spirits were?"

"A dead spirit nearby Mai's apartment was the first, Azusa, my dead girlfriend was the second. I do not know who the third one is." He said.

"We should go back before the maids notice that we're gone." Izaya said as he walked towards the exit. The four of them followed him. The moment that Izaya closes the wall.

"Sir, we found someone by the forest" The maid knocked the door and said through it.

"However, we are afraid that it would be best if SPR would also come with you" The maid opened the door.

They started to rush and run.

 _We've found someone, her wrists are wounded and so is her neck. She looks oddly familiar. petite with short brown hair._

The house guards helped the conscious young girl walk. "Miss we should bring you to the hospital." The guards said. "No, I'm fine" She groaned as she tried standing up. Upon her fall, she looked down, looked up and saw a man wearing all black standing infront of her.

"Mai" Naru said with a worried voice.

"Who are you?" She asked


	6. Dream

Kazuya Shibuya leaned forward to the lost and messed up brunette. He slightly bent down to help her stand.

"I asked who you are, answer me" Her eyes looked at his eyes with a cold glare, similar to what he used to give her before. He shook his head as thee young lady pulled herself away from the raven-haired man and stood up with a wobble. She tilted her head as she gazed upon the handsome man from behind, Izaya.

"I'm Naru, Don't you remember me?" Kazuya Shibuya stood up and turned towards the inattentive woman. He held her shoulder and tried to get her attention. "Huh, what?" his former assistant turned to him as fixed her attention to him. "I don't remember you" She shrugged off his hand and gently stepped forward. She held her head slightly as it was in pain.

"What do you remember?" Ayako slowly helped the amnesia girl walk on her legs. "My name…" Turned to her right looking at Ayako. "Your name if Mai Taniyama" Ayako said. The young lady shook her head and pulled herself back and leaned against Ayako's arm. "No, I'm not her."

Kazuya pinched his nose a bit confused and then leaned his head back. As for Bou-san and Lin, they both stared at the lost child and tried to absorb what she just said. "How can you be not her?" Bou-san pointed his finger to her, he pulled it back and tried to take out his phone so that she will be able to see her reflection. He handed down the mobile phone to the woman. The woman then watched herself and tried moving her head. To her surprise, she gasped pulling herself back on the ground as she dragged her heel forward and her arms behind. She panted and looked at the people who was staring at her.

"Calm down. I want you to trust us on this. Is it okay?" Kazuya Shibuya bent down again and calmly comforted the woman who all of the sudden freaked out. He held his hand out to her. She tried to resist on his offer but then since she really doesn't know what was going on, she extended her hand and reached for his. Naru pulled her up and helped her stand.

"We should take her inside, Matsuzaki-san. Is it okay if you check her vitals here?" Kazuya Shibuya insisted on helping. It was her assistant's body but the mind and soul must have been a different person. He was calm and very much concerned over the young woman whom they assumed that it would be Mai.

After transferring her inside the mansion, she was given medical attention by Ayako. Ayako watched the young girl's reaction over the time being. When she finished checking her vitals, she placed her materials back inside her bag. She leaned forward on her seat and asked the woman again. "If you are not her, may I ask what your name is?" Ayako asked gently as she observed her.

"My name is Azusa"

Naru stood up and walked to her. He stood right in front of her. "I would like to know why you reacted when you saw your reflection earlier"

The meek woman cleared her throat and looked down. She got nervous and tensed when Naru was giving her a very cold glare. She slowly opened her mouth but then closed it. She gently gripped on her other hand as she was feeling a bit uncomfortable. Ayako, who was watching, held her hand trying to calm her down and ease the tension in her body. When she felt ready, she looked up at Kazuya Shibuya.

"Because this is not my body" She said in a faint tone. Izaya nodded as he stepped forward, standing beside Kazuya Shibuya. He gave him a photo of the _real_ Azusa. She had teal eyes, long blonde wavy hair and she was tall. She was nothing a like in the photo that Izaya gave to Naru.

"How do you know, Mai?"

"I've seen her, in dreams. We used to speak there." She slightly covered her mouth and then asked. "My body, the last thing I could remember was I was hit by a car."

Izaya walked back slightly and clenched his teeth, he looked down silently and turned around. Naru on the other hand pitied the girl, what the spirit didn't know was that she was already a spirit and that she was being a parasite in Mai's body.

"You mentioned in your dreams, right? What is Mai doing there?" Ayako asked this time she lets go of her hand.

"I haven't talked to her for a while. The last time we talked, she mentioned about looking for her friend."

Naru didn't like what he was hearing from her. He turned around and walked towards the door and left. Lin was about to follow him, but Bou-san's arm was in front of him. "Let him be, he needs time" he said calmly.

"I'm so confused, why am I in Mai's body?" She asked as she stood up and tried walking to the mirror wall. She stared at herself for a while, she wasn't used to being a brunette and being a petite girl. "I was just sleeping and then this happened" She looked down as she tried to remember what happened to her. She started to shake as her memories of being herself started to return. Her kneels fell on the floor as she pressed her head a bit hard. Ayako rushed towards her and knelt down as she held her shoulder.

"What's wrong?" Ayako panicked as the young lady fell on her back, shaking was the only reaction that the body did. "Bou-san, call Naru!" Bou-san and Lin stood up and rushed outside to find the man. As for Izaya, he ran to the two women. "Her body is reacting on something, this can't be drugs."

Soon, it stopped and left the young brunette unconscious.

 _"Mai isn't safe."_ Gene was finally able to contact his twin through his attentive mind. Naru's body was facing tall mirror, however, he didn't looked at it. He just needed to hear his brother's voice.

 _"I stayed away, so that she can finally try to confess to you again"_ Gene's voice echoed in his mind. He clenched his teeth lightly and pinched his nose a bit troubled over what his dead twin brother said. _"I already know, that I lost her over you. You are alive Naru. I am nothing but a ghost"_

Kazuya Shibuya crossed his legs and leaned back on the chair. He tried to remember how many times the young brunette confessed and was rejected by his pride and jealousy. _"You rejected her about 6 serious situation"_ Gene spoke in his head once again and just made the young CEO pissed. Naru remained his silence until, he finally asked his question. "How is she? Where is her spirit?"

" _She got lost and I myself don't know where to find her."_ Gene shook his head and his voice in Naru's head was faint. Naru bit his index finger lightly and pulled it out closing his mouth. "I want to find her. If she's lost while using her astral projection. She may have been trapped in there." Naru finally said. " _You need my help in this."_ Gene stated. The twins agreed on the search of the missing soul of Mai. But what if one of them is actually keeping her?

 _"Where am I?" A light voice said to herself as she saw white orbs of light going up. She simply touched it and saw a ripple of death of that orb. It was a person, each orb represented another person. She shook her head and looked on her hands._

 _"Am I dead?" She asked once again. She heard a voice that was very much familiar from the distance._

 _"Come here…" She looked over at the distance and slowly walked over to the voice that she was hearing. "Naru?" She asked to herself._

 _"No, it's Gene." She shook her head and mumbled to herself as her tears were rolling down on her cheeks. She hurriedly ran to the voice, she stopped in the middle and started to see her memories. She could hear another voice but with a direct tone. She covered her ears and knelt down as she felt the urge to cry. She was split. She was confused. She had to decide. Either to Live for the other or die for the dead._


	7. Trapped

The body of Mai suddenly sat up with closed eyes, Ayako looked at her with surprise and a gasp. She quickly ran towards the side of Mai and gently spoke. " _Azusa,_ what is wrong?" She asked with a faint voice. Soon, her eyes opened instantly, Ayako pulled back lightly. She cleared her throat and leaned forward again. Mai's head shook and her eyes blinked. "I'm sorry, I saw her again," she said with a cracked tone. Mai frowned and suddenly looked down. Ayako, on the other hand, looked at the girl and pitied her."We have to convince that she is already dead,in" Izaya said to the Monk whose thoughts are absorbing the fact that someone else's soul is inhabiting Mai's body.

"The spirit will be provoked if we do that." Lin leaned back on his seat. "It's my fault that Mai is lost on the astral plane, and my dead girlfriend's soul is staying in her body" He said with a rather rash tone.

Oliver Davis placed his hands together and started to think of a solution, soon he sat up with a thought in his head. "I remembered a similar case back in England" Naru mumbled.

[1] "If we don't find a way to get that spirit out of Mai, Mai's body will decay" Naru looked over at them with a serious look and a cold tone. He pinched his nose bridge and placed his hands back on his lap as he concentrated in a solution. "Naru, are there any people who can OBE in SPR London that can help us find her?" Bou—san glanced at him as he crossed his legs and leaned back. The SPR director shook his head.

"Mai is actually the first one. Members of S.P.R are usually PK users." Naru sighed.

"How about in the other branches?" Bou-san added.

"If _Azusa_ told us that she can see Mai in her dream, we have a shot of contacting her, however, if she is selfish enough to keep herself from meeting Mai in the astral plane, we won't have any contact." Lin looked at Izaya who was trying to think of a solution. Izaya was more or less like Naru but less with the cold and serious glares and more of the parapsychology side. He was a PK user like Naru, but unlike Naru, he can use his qigong without any channels from another person, for short, he can control it.

"How about Masako?" Bou-san placed his two feet on the ground and leaned his weight forward, his elbows resting on his laps.

"Hara-san is a medium, she can just see whenever she touches a person, and she can be our eyes while _Asuza_ is in the astral plane" Lin listened to Naru finish and pulled out his phone and sent a text to her.

"She's coming" Lin pushed his phone back in his pocket.

* * *

 _Mai started to weep, she looked at her surroundings in the astral plane and mumbled for self-comfort. "They will find me". She hugged her knees as she was sitting on the dark cold black space. She slightly moved and heard of the voice once again. "Mai… Wake up" It was a different voice, it was Ayako. Her environment started to change in a different scene. To her surprise she found her body mumbling in her sleep, while Ayako was shaking her body lightly. She soon walked away and moved towards the door as she explored, she heard the voices of Lin, Bou-san, Izaya and Naru. Mai didn't know what to do, she wanted to talk to them in a way where they could pay attention. Mai held the door knob and opened the door._

* * *

Kazuya Shibuya noticed the door opened silently, he looked over and stood up as he walked slowly to the door. He knows that someone or something is inside with them, but he was not scared nor was he threatened by the spirit around them. Lin noticed it as well and stood up, he was ready to unleash his shiki. "Naru..." He mumbled. "No, Lin, don't," Naru said as he walked towards the glass cabinet, he wanted something to happen. Bou-san and Izaya pulled back upon seeing a swift shadow by it. Naru looked towards the side. He then gently bent down and pulled out a clear green mirror from his pocket. He faced it front of him and saw the spirit through the mirror that was right behind him.

"Mai." He mumbled with a light smile on his face. Lin and Bou-san watched him as he talked himself to the mirror, but they knew that Mai was there, behind him.

"You idiot, look what you've gotten yourself into." Naru said with a cold and angry tone. Bou-san dropped his head with disappointment, _don't provoke her._ He thought.

"Didn't you know that I had to postpone the case" Naru continued on scolding her though the mirror and then sigh. "At least we know that you're not lost" ,he said with relief.

"Stop crying, you idiot and get back to your body" ,He said as he continued to look at her weeping.

"What do you mean, you can't go back?" Lin, Izaya and Bou-san waited patiently for them to finish their chat over the mirror.

"We already know someone is in your body… I'll have to ask John to remove the spirit from your body to finally end this" Lin pulled out his phone once again to call the priest.

 _"Naru… Gene wanted me to stay here… permanently"_

Kazuya Shibuya narrowed his look a bit angered of what she said. It was hard to believe that his older brother was becoming selfish of her. He looked over at Mai who was looking down. Naru gave out a sigh and finally came up to a decision he was willing to fight for.

"No, I won't let him" He looked up with his other hand clenching to a fist. "You have a life and he doesn't if he's having a problem with that it's not your choice live or to die"

* * *

 _Mai shook her head and covered her ears as she heard Gene's voice once again. The tension with her scream caused the mirror that Naru was holding to break._

* * *

Kazuya Shibuya was surprised, he suddenly lets go off the jade mirror and pulled back. He turned around and wanted to see if Mai was still there but unfortunately she left.

* * *

 _Hello! I'm sorry if this chapter is a little bit short, I had to put the other part of this chapter to the next chapter of this fanfic! Yehey! –Cathy._


	8. FReed

John Brown was led by the maid inside the second-floor living room where the team was temporarily staying. Mai or Azusa was sleeping inside the guest room nearby, who was also watched by Ayako. Kazuya Shibuya explained to John the situation that Mai was currently in. He didn't understand the whole story and the connection, but the only one thing that was clear to him was that Mai's body is being inhabited by a different spirit.

Mai/Azusa opened her eyes as she felt the pain on her lower rib. She sat up and placed some pressure on her rib looking down, groaning. Ayako stood up and bent down as she touched the brunette's back.

"What's wrong?"

Azusa shook her head and mumbled. "It hurts, It hurts a lot" Ayako muttered to her with a calm and husky voice. "Calm down, let me see" She led her hand on the rib and tried to feel if there were any dislocations, sprains, fractures and etc. She slowly lifted her blouse and checked if there were any bruises or cuts. Ayako shook her head and didn't see nor feel anything wrong with her body.

"Well?" The young brunette asked as she touched her rib once again. Ayako was quite confused on what the young girl has been feeling. She looked down to her as she sat back to her seat. "Well, there aren't any physical damage to your body"

Mai shook her head and refused to believe what she said. "It was painful!"

Ayako crossed her legs. "Was… That means the pain is gone?" She asked. Mai silently rubbed the pain before but it was gone, she looked down and looked at her again. "But, it was like it was real". Mai mumbled Ayako knew what was going to happen when a dead spirit inhabits a living body. Naru and Lin elaborated that this was a side effect. That if the dead soul continues to become a parasite, the body will feel pain and let the soul remember why they are already dead. Ayako felt pity towards the spirit. She sighed and noticed a shadow behind the door. Soon there was a knock.

Masako entered and saw the brunette. Azusa was mesmerized with the young medium wearing a kimono. She gently smiled and looked at Ayako. "That's Masako Hara," She said with a rather fan-girl look. Shesquealed lightly as Masako walked to her. "Hello, you must be Azusa" the young medium sat down on the chair. "You can call me Masako if you want,in," The medium said gently as her eyes gazed on hers. Mai was star struck. "I… I'm your fan, I mean I watched you on TV" Masako smiled and covered her lip. "Thank you," She said.

"I have a request I am meaning to ask" Masako gently placed her hand on her arm. "Would you if you would contact, Mai for us?"

Azusa nodded slightly. "I'll try and search her in my dreams, I can talk to her as well"

"Well, can you ask her what is going on with her?" Masako lightly pushed the brunette down to lay down on her back and slowly she drifted in her sleep.

* * *

 _Azusa watched as the orbs were going up, she soon realized that she was herself again, her original self. She soon saw a door, it was a white door. She slowly walked towards it and grabbed on the knob._

 _"Don't!" She soon heard a voice. It was none other than Izaya. "Izaya, you can?" Azusa was quite surprised to see his ex-boyfriend the astral plane. She pulled her hand back as she looked up to him._

 _"I'm looking for Mai! Where is she?" She asked. Izaya looked over at the door and shook his head. "Don't you understand? This is the life that we can have. We can finally be together" Izaya touched her shoulder as she looked down on her._

 _"What do you mean?" Azusa was confused. She shrugged his hand off and gazed at him with worry on her eyes._

 _"This is a second chance, even if you aren't in your original body we can finally be together!" He tried to reach out to her again._

 _"What did you do to Mai!" Azusa gave him a slap on the face. "I had to do it. So that we can be together…" He mumbled._

 _Images started to flash inside the head of Azusa, it was a cold night, and she was crossing the damp road when suddenly she saw a high beam light running straight to her. The last thing she feet was the cold road absorbing her to death._

 _Azusa pushed him back with a pant. "I'm dead, aren't I!" She yelled then covered her ears looking around. "And Mai isn't!" She started to cry._

 _"We need to take her back, Izaya", Azusa said looking up on him with a determined look. He shook his head once more. "And you? You'll become a spirit again"_

 _Azusa soon heard a scream coming from the white door. "Mai!" She said as she tried to open the door. "He will get mad, if you do that." Izaya stopped him._

 _"Who?"_

 _"..Gene"_

* * *

"Come in, it's open", Ayako said as the door opened. John and Lin stepped inside the room. Naru closed the lights as John stood in front of the bed carrying his bible and holy water.

"I exorcise you unclean spirit in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Come out and leave this servant of God, Taniyama, Mai." John opened the lid of his bottle and continued his prayer. "Accursed and damned spirit, hear the command of God himself, he who walked upon the sea and extended his right hand to Peter as he was sinking. Therefore, accursed devil, acknowledge your condemnation... and depart from this servant of God" Mai's body slowly shook out of fear, and then wounds started to appear all over her body. Her eyes were rolling back, her skin was turning pale. Ayako held her other hand and Naru was at the opposite side to hold her down.

"..Never dare, accursed devil, to violate the sign of the holy cross which we place upon her forehead. Through Christ our Lord." John sealed the prayer through marking the sign of the cross on Mai's forehead. Soon there the struggling stopped and there was a silence. A light started to float on top of Mai. She was weeping at the same time glad that she was finally able to see the truth that she really was dead. John slowly removed the cross from Mai's hand. Lin entered the room and placed a seal on her so that evil spirits wouldn't enter.

Ayako sighed slightly and leaned back to her seat covering her face with her two hands. She was stressed out on what was happening over Mai's body and soul. She soon scratched her head lightly and looked at Mai's body.

"Lin will use his shikis to protect Mai"

The door burst opened, it was the young master, Izaya, looking over at Naru with a rather angry look.

"You took her away!" He yelled.

Kazuya Shibuya raised an eyebrow confused. "We performed an exorcism"

"We needed everything. Masako channelled inside the dream" Ayako stood up looked at the suspect.

"If Azusa can't have a life, so will Mai…" He mumbled glaring at them.

"I dare you" Naru gave him his own cold glare and stepped infront.

"Don't go all angry, Shibuya-san. It was all on you. Mai was too desperate, she needed you but you pushed her away. It's like Gene said. You'll regret that mistake"


	9. Must Read

Hi Guys! So, I know that you've been waiting for the next chapter but unfortunately this is not the next chapter. The 2 other authors, Sam and Eve will be diverting the subject matter for this story. Since, It already took us to write 8 chapters and the presence of Mai has been absent since then, Sam decided to divert the subject matter into a topic where in we had to change a plot.

As a warning, you readers will be able to understand everything in the next chapter of what we're trying to say here. So, here is the story of far: Mai was not found yet and Naru and the team has been trying too hard to find them. Mai's body was found being inhabited by the spirit of Izaya's ex-girlfriend. The body was soon freed from the spirit but the soul of Mai is assumed to be trapped by Gene in the astral plane.

Wow, that was easy, but then again, you'll be in for a big surprise of the plot in the next chapter to be posted 3 days prior from the date of this post. We will be diving in the world of Lucid dreaming. I hope that you're curious on what will happen! Thanks for reading this and I hope you'll stay tune for the next chapter. _-Catherine_


	10. Lucid

"You've spoken with Gene?" Kazuya Shibuya was stunned over his words. "Look, we made a deal." Izaya crossed his arms and admitting a sin that he committed.

"A deal? What did you do?" Naru's eyes narrowed as he quickly walked over to him. Izaya laughed lightly and smirked. "Gene and I had a deal. He would allow Azusa to use Mai's body."

The raven-haired man clenched his fist, Ayako stood up walked towards Lin as she gave him a nudge noticing Naru's reaction. "What was the end of the bargain?" Naru's cold voice asked.

"Making Mai permanently stay on the astral plane."

Kazuya Shibuya couldn't contain the anger that he was feeling, his palm slightly was starting to feel warm with the energy that was coursing through his arms. Lin quickly grabbed his hand and pulled it back before even hurting the previous client. Naru blinked lightly, realizing what he could have done if he used his qigong on a person. He immediately turned around, his gaze was locked to the sleeping brunette girl on top of the bed.

Izaya wished that John didn't take Azusa and purify the body that she was in. The deal that was set for Mai and Azusa to switch was Gene's idea. However, Izaya wasn't happy when the priest took her away for good.

* * *

 _Mai travelled between the Astral plane and reality, no one can really describe or reason out why there is a possibility for her to travel that far. However, even if she was traveling in two realms, she was still chained. Around her ankle is a heavy chain, it would sound whenever she would move._

 _"Gene?" Mai groaned as she felt the sharp pain all over her body. "I'm not him." The voice walked over to the young brunette who laid down on the cold dim place. Mai blinked slightly as the man squats in front of her with his hands together._

 _"Izaya!" Mai soon started to remember what happened during their final séance at her apartment._

* * *

 ** _Flashback_**

"Naru… what are you going here?" Mai asked as she let her boss inside. "I'm here to apologize what happened earlier this day." Oliver Davis admitted without looking at her. Mai chuckled lightly and went to her kitchen to prepare tea for her boss. Naru looked around before realizing that it was the first time since he visited Mai's apartment, he didn't care much of where she lived since he knows that she was safe.

"So, you'll help me find your brother?" Mai asked as she placed the tea in front of him as he sighed before sipping from the tea. "I came here to apologize not to permit you with your two-day leave."

Mai frowned before looking down, soon another knock was heard from the door. Mai abruptly walked towards the door and opened it. It was Izaya.

"Izaya!" Mai exclaimed with a soft smile on her face, Naru slightly twisted his body looking at Mai and the young man in their conversation.

"Shibuya-san" Izaya stood in front of him as Mai entered her kitchen again. "Matsumoto-san, surprise to see you here." Naru sipped his tea again and looked at him. "I often visit Mai lately." Izaya dropped the bomb on Naru. He was surprised to hear that his former client would often visit her assistant, not to mention at night, so he assumed that they were dating.

"I better get going then." The raven-haired man stood up, Mai walked back from the kitchen and saw Naru standing up. "I'm leaving, Mai. Thanks for the tea." Mai didn't stop her boss leave the place.

"Here, drink up so that you won't fall asleep." Izaya pulled out an open bottle, Mai could smell the content of iced coffee. She soon sipped from it and placed the bottle at her side. "Are you ready Mai?" Izaya asked as they touched the planchette looking at her. Mai nodded and held on with her eyes closed. As soon as the object moved, Mai concentrated on finding the dead twin. However, what Mai didn't expect was she fell on her back during the process, with a grinning Izaya Matsumoto looking at her with a grimace look.

 ** _Flashback end_**

* * *

 _Mai pulled herself together and glared towards the sinister man, Izaya stood up with a sharp look on Mai. He soon gave out a smirk and said. "What do you think can happen If I try to manipulate the dreams inside Oliver Davis?" Mai's wide eyes looked at his grimace face, she knelt up begging him to hurt Naru._

 _"He has nothing to do with this, Izaya!" Mai yelled as it echoed around the surface. However, with a swift move from the sinister man, she couldn't breathe, she was being choked in her dream._

* * *

"Ayako!" John pointed at Mai's body reacting over the dream, Kazuya Shibuya soon touched her hand as images soon flashed in his mind, the memories that Mai has over the last few days she was found conscious and her spirit in the astral plane.

Kazuya Shibuya held her hand tightly as he tried to push his skills further not to just see visions but to see her spirit.

* * *

 _Mai was left alone in the void once again until she heard a cold tone, she stood up and looked around, her chains following her. "Naru!" She yelled around the dark. She cried as she calls out his name again. "Naru!"_ Oliver Davis kneeling down on the side of the bed holding her hand could hear her. _He has surpassed his capabilities not only in psychokinesis but also in travelling in the astral plane. He was Gene's twin and surely behind all the things in their blood, Gene has abilities that Naru can also have._

 _"Mai!" His voice echoed over the void as well as they tried to search for each other. "Listen to his voice Mai, focus… remember this may be on the astral plane but you can manipulate it." There was another voice inside Mai's head. His voice was calm, soft and gentle, it was her spirit guidance, and it was Gene._

 _Mai closed her eyes as she focused on her surroundings, she took a breath in before letting go of every inch of her mind. Until the void finally bursts onto tiny fragments. A great bright light was formed as she tried to manipulate the astral plane. And then Mai's view started to become blurry. She was kneeling down in front of a river, with her eyes closed as she tried to take deep breaths. Mai with closed eyes felt a warm presence at the side he felt a warm touch on her shoulder as tears finally fell from her eyes. "Gene…" She mumbled. Gene smiled as Mai opened her eyes and gently stroked her hair._

 _Naru found himself in a scenery of a garden with a big tree in the middle._

 _"You're a strong psychic Mai. However, you need to work on your lucid dreaming." Gene knelt down in front of her. Mai soon shed tears in her dream and in her sleep. She looked up at Gene and slowly stood up with shaking legs, with his support she was able to stand. She wrapped her arms around the older twin and smiled. "You were lost, and finally, you're here," Gene said as he stroked her hair in the embrace as he looked across the river, standing on the other side was Oliver Davis, showing a gentle smile on his face._

 _"Don't do that again, okay?" Mai looked up with swollen eyes and lightly punched his chest. "Why haven't you passed on already? Why did you disappear?" she pulled back as she rubbed her eyes lightly, not noticing the man dressed in all black from the other side._

 _"I haven't passed on since…." He paused for a while as he saw his younger twin shake his head before returning his attention to Mai. "I was asked by someone to teach you to control your dreams." Gene had to lie over the real reason why he hasn't moved on. "If you want to teach me why did you disappear?" Gene frowned lightly but smiled later on._

 _"Mai, you'll be able to understand everything someday. But right now, people around you are struggling to get you back." Gene said as he turned around and walked towards the big tree._

 _"Go back Mai… We'll meet once again." Mai turned around after Gene's voice finally faded. She looked at the younger twin, staring at her. She closed her eyes and focused on the water. In dreams, everything in it has a meaning, the river that separating Mai and Naru was the caused by her fear of being rejected once again. However, she had to finally let go of that fear and embrace what she has left. The river disappeared in an instance, Naru stepped back and noticed the great change of his surroundings. Mai opened her eyes again and soon realized that they were inside the office in Tokyo. And right in front of her was the narcissistic CEO._

 _Mai assuming that Naru was just part of her dream, marched up to him, grabbed the collar of his shirt and pulled him down. "You're the one I choose!" With a shocked expression on Naru's face, the young brunette swiftly locked her lips to his. Kazuya Shibuya dropped his hands to the side and ran his hands to her back as he pulled her closer to his lips. The young brunette tip-toed as she reached for his lips._

* * *

Mai took a deep breath before she could finally open her eyes, she looked around and noticed that everyone watched her as she woke up. Ayako couldn't help but give her friend an embrace since she was finally back. She was confused to where she was. "Where am I?" She asked looking around.

"After Naru and Izaya had the argument, we needed you to be transferred to a safer place, right now we're in Masako's villa," Ayako smiled as she pulled back and sat on the chair. Mai turned to the right and saw another bed at the side and above it was Oliver Davis with a bandage on top of his head. "What happened to you, Naru?" Mai slightly tilted her head and looked at Oliver Davis flipping the pages of the book. He simply ignored the girl's questions and continued reading the reports. Mai puffed her cheeks before frowning. Lin walked to her and placed tea on top of the table in between Mai and Naru's bed.

"Lin, you make horrible tea, I won't drink that." Naru sharply and frankly said as Lin gave some tea to Mai. Mai smiled and looked at Lin as she sipped the tea.

Bou-san walked inside together with Masako, Masako sat beside Ayako and covered her lip gently as she smiled. "Good to finally see that you're awake."

"Mai." Naru's cold tone called for her attention, Mai soon turned to him. "Naru?" She asked as Naru placed the folder on the table and slid it to her side.

"Read the letter sent from my father. We will wait for your approval within 2 days."

Mai opened the folder and read the letter that was addressed to her and Naru. She gasped and pushed her weight back reading it with a rather flattered look. She placed the letter down and smiled.

"What's that about Mai?" Bou-san asked as he crossed his arms. Mai gently placed the folder back on the table and looked at them.

"I was asked to be trained by Dr. Eeden from the Society of Psychical Research to control my lucid dreams in England." Everyone in the room was shocked over the news, they were in dismay but they had to support her with her skills.

"Mai, if doesn't mean that if you're dreaming you can manipulate the people inside as well." Kazuya Shibuya reminded her about the kiss that she took from him when they were on the astral plane. Obviously, he didn't look at her but behind his head, he was amused with teasing her.

* * *

Hi! This is not the end of this story! Wow, so in the astral projection there are possibilities that when the mind has been meditated for so long or when the soul can focus and channel that focus through the astral plane, the environment can actually change and can be manipulated by the dreamer. Astral projection as we know is usually associated with OBE (which Mai can do), and in lucid dreams is where Mai actually go to whenever she could see the clues and backstory of cases. Despite the skills that Mai has, we're able to incorporate Lucid Dreaming and Astral Projection together. Despite being in a dream where Mai usually feels that she would be in danger, we made Mai, in this story, being able to manipulate the scenes in her dreams, (which is possible). _I know that it's complicated. -Eve_


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